Dentsu Aegis Network promotes Narayan Devanathan to Chief Executive Officer,Dentsu Creative Impact
In his new role, Narayan would lead the growth of the full service creative agency, Dentsu Creative Impact across qualitative and quantitative parameters. Narayan will also be heading the two specialist units, Dentsu Mama Lab (dedicated to better connecting brands with mothers through original insights) and Citizen Dentsu (the social communications division), as a part of his expanded role. He will continue to be based out of Gurgaon.
Narayan’s rich experience in the advertising industry spans over 20 years across two of the most distinctive markets in the world. He has worked across capacities in planning and creative with leading advertising agencies in India and the United States. Prior to Dentsu, Narayan was Chief Strategy Officer, Euro RSCG India (now Havas Worldwide) and Senior Planning Director at Ogilvy & Mather India. Before he moved back to India in 2007, Narayan had also worked with the US-based Cramer-Krasselt and Admerasia, New York.
“I am very happy to announce Narayan’s appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of Dentsu Creative Impact. Narayan, with his tremendous experience in building brands, is now tasked with building Dentsu Creative Impact into a strategic and creative power-house that partners our global and local clients in the new, dynamic era of advertising that we are entering. Dentsu Aegis Network clients deserve the best talent on their brands and as a part of that commitment we have placed Narayan, amongst our best managers, in the role of heading this operation” said Ashish Bhasin, Chairman & CEO South Asia – Dentsu Aegis Network.
“There are a lot of words that are currently being bandied about in terms of where the future of advertising lies. I believe the road to the future lies in a return to simpler times. Where the focus is on creating a happy place that helps people generate fabulous ideas. That’s probably still the best way to deliver value to clients, and success to our people. And those are the two metrics I’m going to raise the bar on,” said Narayan Devanathan, CEO DCIPL Group.
Rohit Ohri, CEO, Dentsu APAC, said, “In his four years at Dentsu, Narayan partnered me in the agency transformation process in India as National Planning Director. Understanding client’s marketing problems and finding the most effective solutions for them has been Narayan’s core strength. Insightful and intuitive, he is a natural advertising person. I believe that under his leadership, Dentsu Creative Impact G will scale newer heights.”
Among the key brands Narayan has helped build are Honda, Dulux, Canon, DS Group, Max India, Toshiba, Panasonic, Monster.com, Unicharm, the Reckitt Benckiser portfolio, Fair & Lovely, Sprite, KFC, American Express, GE Healthcare, Mitsubishi Motors, Baskin Robbins, IBM, Motorola, Cisco, Teacher’s (Beam Global Spirits), Hennessey, New York Life Insurance, Pramerica Life Insurance, MetLife, Corelle, Corningware, Pyrex, GNC, WD-40 and Bombardier Recreational Products.
Narayan has been an eminent speaker at several industry forums as well as leading educational institutions and has been part of the Effies jury.